1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording reproducing apparatus capable of densely recording information as in Shingle recording method and a magnetic recording medium for use in such an apparatus.
2 Description of the Related Art
Improvement in high quality pictures and images causes a considerable increase in the volume of information handled by a user. For the purpose of realizing a larger capacity magnetic recording apparatus so-called HDD (Hard Disk Drive), approaches for increasing the surface recording density have been discussed. One high-density magnetic recording technology that seems to be promising is a Shingle recording, method which is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-8881 (Tokukai 2011-8881) for example, in which recording is performed so that a recording column currently being recorded partially overlap with another recording column adjacent in a track width direction, the other recording column having been subjected to immediately previous recording.
In general, the pitch of tracks formed on a magnetic recording medium is a several times greater than a shortest mark formed. However, Shingle recording method performs recording so as to partially overlap with an adjacent recording column having been subjected to immediately previous recording. Therefore, the pitch of tracks to be formed at the end is reduced to a pitch which is approximately the same as the shortest mark length. In other words, recording is performed so as to partially overwrite the adjacent recording column having been subjected to immediately previous recording. This increases the number of tracks per unit length to several times more, and makes it possible a significant improvement in the recording density.